The Joker Returns
by JimmyTheKid
Summary: This is an AU of the movie 'The Dark Knight' by Christopher Nolan. At one point in the movie, Joker drops Rachel Dawes out of a Wayne Tower window. Batman follows her and saves her but... what would've happened if Batman didn't save her? I thought that Joker's plan wouldn't have worked and Harvey Dent wouldn't have lost half his face. This is what I think would happen afterwards.
1. Chapter 1

_**IMPORTANT: **__This is an AU of Christopher Nolan's 'The Dark Knight' Trilogy. During the events of the Dark Knight, Joker drops Rachel Dawes from Wayne Tower. Batman goes after her and saves her. But… what if he didn't save her? I thought about that for a while and came up with this: Harvey Dent wouldn't be blown half to hell, Joker's plan wouldn't work because Harvey is blaming him for Rachel's death, and Joker would probably be caught before the whole 'Ferry scene'. Knowing this, what would happen AFTER Joker was caught? That is what this story is based off of. Also: __**DON'T READ IF YOU HAVENT SEEN THE MOVIE! **_

Joker was sitting down, waiting for his next psychiatrist. They were always different. All of them were just to see who he would open up to. Who he would share his deepest secrets, his fondest memories, anything about his mind. But he kept his mind a secret because he thought that no one was capable of understanding it. Then they sent in _her. _She was tall and skinny, fragile like a pane of glass. But she walked into the cell like she owned the place. He could tell by her childish face that he intimidated her, but not like the way the other doctors did. He didn't scare her, but he could sense a feeling of nervousness from her. She had black hair that was tied into a bun, like a gothic schoolteacher. She wore thin glasses over her dark green eyes. The glasses looked thin enough that she could see fine if she wasn't even wearing them. Maybe she wore them to impress someone. Make them think she is smarter than she really is.

"Hello uh…" She stuttered, "Mr. Joker." She looked up from her clipboard straight into his eyes. Looking into his eyes made her more uncomfortable; he could tell.

"Please, call me J." He overdramatically squinted at her nametag "Nice to meet you, Dr. Harleen Quinzel."

"Alright then Mr. J, why don't we st-"

He cut her off, "Do you mind if I call you Harley? Harleen just seems so… professional. And I know you're not as professional as you seem." He wasn't lying. He could tell she was putting on an act to get Joker's attention. To make him think she wasn't as young as she actually was.

She cleared her throat before speaking, "You can call me Harley if you want. After all, that is what all my friends call me." So she was going with the 'friend' technique. The technique that was based on the belief that friends tell each other everything. It made Joker sick to his stomach.

"So I'm your _friend, _huh?" He said, putting emphasis on the word friend. The emphasis ran a chill down her spine. "The thing about friends is that they only last so long. One always does something wrong and then it's every man for them self." He studies her reaction and is pleased to find her get even tenser. He laughs at this with his high-pitched, childish laugh that sends another, even larger chill down her spine. "I like you Harley. You're not like these other doctors. You're not as fake as them. I'm real with you and you're real with me. You can try to put on an act like them, but I'd much rather speak to the real Harleen Quinzel."

"Alright, Mr. J." she said, in response to his suggestion, "Here I am; the real me. Ask me anything about myself. After all, we should get to know each other."

He looked her in the eye and his smiled, showing his rotten, yellow teeth. "I got the perfect name for you." He paused in anticipation, "Harley Quinn." She smiled at his interest in her, then moved her hands up to her bun and let her hair free. Joker could tell she was gaining an interest in him, so he used this to his advantage. "So Harley, you got a man in your life, hm?"

She looked down, her face a bright red, and answered, "No, I do not." Joker smiled and suddenly, Harley's beeper went off. "I guess it's time to call an end to this meeting."

Joker frowned at this, upset that he might lose his chance, "I hope I get to see you again… Harley Quinn…" She smiled as she walked out of the door and the guards moved towards Joker.

The next sessions between Joker and Harley were normal. Joker telling her things about himself and vice versa. She was enjoying her time with him and she was ashamed of it. She didn't think he was crazy, just different. He saw the world in a different way, and it scared everyone. Everyone but her. She knew how to repay the Joker for the insight into his mind. One day, she stole all the tapes from their visits and shut off the camera for their last meeting. On that last meeting day, she gave him a present. It was a harmless apple. They didn't even check it through the X-ray machine. What fools.

"What's this for, Harls?" He asked, smiling at his new gift.

"Today is our last meeting. I thought I would give it to you as a gift." She said with happiness. This sent rage through the Joker's body. That or he made it seem like it did. He angrily took a bite of the apple and bit something hard. A red button. He immediately knew what this was and knew that his work had paid off. He didn't really have feelings for Harley. He just pretended in hopes that she would break him out. And it had paid off. He tried not to show his excitement that he could finally finish his plan that was so abruptly ended the first time around. He was excited to finally show Gotham the truth about the people who control it. He was excited to bring chaos.

He smiled at Harley, knowing that she had fell for his trap, and she just smiled back clueless to his plan. The rest of the meeting was normal; secrets being shared, thoughts being discussed. Then, when her beeper went off, she gave him a wink and was on her way. Joker got a new doctor a few days later. Harley quit after becoming bored with her new patient, and took a job as a secretary. For the next few weeks, everything was normal. Then, Joker pushed the button. What Harley didn't know was that the bombs placed in the wall would blow an exit to both Joker's cell and the one next to it, releasing a criminal from the 90's.

Edward Nigma.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two – Riddle me this

It was a calm, sunny, July morning in Gotham City. Bruce Wayne just got done with a meeting at Wayne Tower. On his way out, he stumbled across a man he hasn't seen in months. Harvey Dent. "Hey, uh, Harvey. Nice to see you again." Bruce said with little enthusiasm.

"Yeah. You too." Harvey replied with the same enthusiasm as Bruce.

Bruce wasn't sure if he should say it, but he did anyway, "I'm uh… Sorry about Rachel. I know you two were close and I just-"

"It's alright." Harvey said just to end Bruce's apology, "I'm fine. Besides, you have nothing to be sorry for." Harvey smiled and walked away. _If only he knew _Bruce thought, _If only he knew…_

All across Gotham City, televisions were going Haywire. At random times, pictures of a green question mark would appear on screen for a few frames, then go back to the scheduled programming. It confused people, but they just thought it was part of the show. That was until the question mark stayed on for minutes and not soon after, a silhouette of a man with hair smoothed over and a thick set of glasses that were only noticeable because of the sharp edges that stuck out of his face. The entire city was confused and in awe at the mysterious figure on their TV's.

The man sat there for a while before starting, "Hello, citizens of Gotham City. It is I, Edward Nigma. You may know me for the murders I committed in 1998. But, I'm about to tell you something the police probably didn't tell you then." Bruce Wayne looked toward his TV to see the next part of the message. "Whenever I killed someone, I would leave a riddle as to where I would kill next. Do you remember how many people died before the police found me? 27. It took them 27 riddles to figure out who and where I was. If you think that today's police force would do any better, be my guest. However, I am about to put them to the test. The first riddle is this: _On this place you keep an eye, where the ground touches the sky. _If you think you know the answer, you might want to tell them before it's too late. Because it could be anybody…" He finishes his sentence while laughing a maniacal, evil laugh and the screen goes dark.

In the Gotham Police Department, people are yelling over each other, pieces of paper are being written on as everyone tries to figure out the answer. Finally, Commissioner Gordon raises his hand up and yells "ORDER!" he pauses and walks to the center of the room "We need order if we're going to solve this! We need to show the people that they can trust us! Obviously that is what he's trying to prove; that we can't handle our jobs." The people nod and Gordon continues to speak, "Now, does anyone have any idea of what the answer is?"

The room is silent until a young officer by the name of John Blake steps up. "It could be about the Horizon Motel on West Avenue." Everyone stares at him incomprehensively until he continues, "You know, _where the ground touches the sky, keep your eyes on the Horizon?" _He smiles before he continued, "You guys never heard those sayings before?"

Commissioner Gordon just waves his hand as if to say 'hold on' and speaks louder than before, "I need a crew to stay here, a crew to secure the inside, and a crew to scan the perimeter! We're going to the motel!" He finishes and runs out the door, followed by forty men and women.

The officers ran into the motel, forgetting that the people were clueless as to why they were there. "Whoa, Whoa, Gordon, what the hell is going on?" the owner asked with confusion.

"We believe Nigma's message was referring to this hotel." He said with confidence, "We need all the residents out as soon as possible, including yourself!" He led a few officers upstairs to check the rooms. The first room he went into was covered with green question marks. Standing in the center of the room was the Dark Knight himself. Batman and Gordon made eye contact but Batman just looked away. "You're here early." Gordon said humorously.

"I figured out the riddle." Batman said, "But I don't think he will attack the hotel, not tonight. He knows that we know the answer. It's too risky, even for him." Batman walked over to the closet.

"You honestly think that'll stop him?" Gordon said without looking up from his radar, "I mean, look around the room for god's sake. He's a madman!"

Batman opened the closet door and called Gordon over to him. When Gordon reached him, he was shocked at what he saw. The closet walls were lined with C4 and sitting on a chair inside was a USB flash drive.


End file.
